How Thick is Your Bubble?

[Regolith]

I live in one of the last parts of the county that has not been gentrified. I live in a trailer. I, technically, fall into the social class of working poor. I smoke (and except my dad I *don't* spend alot of time with people who smoke)

I somehow doubt the validity of this test...

Although I will confess, I have watched full episodes of Oprah, and even liked them.

Yeah...there's lots of things wrong with this test. Mainly that the professor who designed it seems to have  a narrow, somewhat stereotypical view of working class.

I think the Applebees/TGI Fridays/Outback Steakhouse question is the dumbest of the lot. Where I grew up, near the Middle of Nowhere, Nevada, you had to drive at least four hours to find any one of those establishments. Hence, I rarely ate at any of them. I've never eaten at TGI Fridays, for instance, have only eaten at Outback Steakhouse once that I recall, and only occasionally eat at Applebees because my mother likes it, and we'd sometimes eat there when we were in Reno or another town that had one. But, according to this guy, that's evidence that I lived in an elite bubble because I grew up in a hardscrabble mining town whose only chain restaurant was a McDonald's. 

[HankB]

5-8

I guess they want me to watch Oprah. (not likely.)

And be a NASCAR fanboy. (Uh-uh.)

And hang out with smokers. (Nope.)

[zxcvbob]

Yeah...there's lots of things wrong with this test. Mainly that the professor who designed it seems to have  a narrow, somewhat stereotypical view of working class.

+1

[BlueStarLizzard]

Yeah...there's lots of things wrong with this test. Mainly that the professor who designed it seems to have  a narrow, somewhat stereotypical view of working class.

I think the Applebees/TGI Fridays/Outback Steakhouse question is the dumbest of the lot. Where I grew up, near the Middle of Nowhere, Nevada, you had to drive at least four hours to find any one of those establishments. Hence, I rarely ate at any of them. I've never eaten at TGI Fridays, for instance, have only eaten at Outback Steakhouse once that I recall, and only occasionally eat at Applebees because my mother likes it, and we'd sometimes eat there when we were in Reno or another town that had one. But, according to this guy, that's evidence that I lived in an elite bubble because I grew up in a hardscrabble mining town whose only chain restaurant was a McDonald's. 

Actually, I think he is mistaken in his definitions of class.

From what I have observed those resterants are mostly inhabited by middle to upper middle class suburbanites who have a relativly narrow world veiw, which is his sterotype of mainstream American culture.

His understanding of "lower" classes is seriously distortated by his inhabitation of the academic ivory tower "elite".

Dude needs to do more feild research.

[cambeul41]

Maybe we could get some extra points if there was a question about guns.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the test designers — who are judging us and other Americans through their own distorted bubbles — might also have distorted views of those with a interest in them.

[Regolith]

Actually, I think he is mistaken in his definitions of class.

From what I have observed those resterants are mostly inhabited by middle to upper middle class suburbanites who have a relativly narrow world veiw, which is his sterotype of mainstream American culture.

His understanding of "lower" classes is seriously distortated by his inhabitation of the academic ivory tower "elite".

Dude needs to do more feild research.

True. Those places aren't exactly cheap. Denny's would probably have been a better one for a non-fast food chain restaurant. Or pick-your-random truck stop restaurant.

[Fly320s]

True. Those places aren't exactly cheap. Denny's would probably have been a better one for a non-fast food chain restaurant. Or pick-your-random truck stop restaurant.

I'd rather eat at Denny's than Applebees any day.

[Regolith]

I'd rather eat at Denny's than Applebees any day.

Same here. Cheaper AND tastier.

I'm still a little mad there isn't one in my current county. We've got a crappy Ruby Tuesday's, but no Denny's. 

[cambeul41]

The test seems to assume that there is one American culture divided into bubble levels — if one is not a commoner, then one is insulated in an upper-class bubble. That is not the case.

(Might I note that my inner-city Black students are just as bubble-insulated from knowledge of the characters of those in the upper classes as the upper classes are insulated from knowledge of their characters?)   

Some of us are mixed culturally, some are Third Culture Kids (TCKs – also called TransCultural Kids) who, depending on ones point of view, are either in no insulating bubble or are in bubbles that are neither upper nor lower ("common") class American.

I have to admit that I have so little knowledge of the string restaurants mentioned that I don't know what "class" they are supposed to represent. We usually go to family run ethnic places, most often Asian, in which I am often the only non-Asian — and since I can't see myself, I don't feel "different."

[coppertales]

Scored between 9 and 12.  I haven't watched NASCAR since they quit racing stock cars.  chris3

[HankB]

I'd rather eat at Denny's than Applebees any day.

Not me.

Last time I ate in a Denny's - breakfast on a business trip - the only thing palatable was the coffee.

Barely.

[MillCreek]

There is an Applebee's one mile from the house.  We can walk there, have the 2 for $ 20 special; she has the house merlot, I have an IPA, and we can get out of there for $ 38 with tax and tip.  We think the food is OK.  Nothing really special but OK.  My wife likes it more than I do.

[brimic]

My biggest cultural isolation is that I'm a central WI hick from the sticks now living in on the fringes of artsy fartsy yuppieland.
My wife complains that I don't have many friends or I don't socialize much. Translation= I have very little in common with most of the dads of the kids that my kids go to school with and I'm not particularly interested in socializing with them. The people I do talk to and have a weekly beer with are coworkers and guys at the local gun club.


Applebees/TGIs are fake soulless facsimiles of restaurants.
Real question should have been have you eaten at greasy spoon/truckstop restaurant in the last year.


Nascar? Bah. Any sport that has a 'fantasy league' is firmly in the bubble. Question should be have you ever taken a date/wife/kids to an event involving monster trucks/tractor pulls/demolition derby/ or a race on dirt or ice tracks?

[Neemi]

9-12; Apparently having asthma can help lead to cultural isolationism. 

Sure I have friends who smoke. We just don't hang out while they are smoking because I like to not have asthma attacks, and they agree.

[stevelyn]

Result




   
 On a scale from 0 to 20 points, where 20 signifies full engagement with mainstream American culture and 0 signifies deep cultural isolation within the new upper class bubble, you scored between 9 and 12.
 
In other words, even if you're part of the new upper class, you've had a lot of exposure to the rest of America.

I try to stay detached from the rest of America these days.......... or at least the 47%.

[Stetson]

The test designer needs to experience more than what they stereotype as 'class'.  I don't have a bubble according to them but all my friends are solidly middle class, as am I.  We just happen to get out of the house more, it seems.

[charby]

I'd rather eat at Denny's than Applebees any day.

I would too, but I went an Applebees in the last six months and I was somewhat impressed by their food compared to past experiences. The price seemed to match the quality and I would go there again if my friends or wife wanted to go there.

[BryanP]

you scored between 9 and 12

I had a pretty solidly middle class upbringing, so yeah.

[K Frame]

I'm a 5-8 as well, which I don't really understand given some of my answers...

Then again, I don't really give a rat's ass if I'm culturally and class isolated or not.


What really interests me, though, is that they conceive of this being the most class-isolated point in American history.

I'm not sure whether they're idiots who have no clue how to crack a history book, or just weeping liberal aholes.

[K Frame]

"I'd rather eat at Denny's than Applebees any day."

I'd rather drill my skull with Barbara Streisand's voice than eat at a Denny's.

I'll travel to get to an Appleby's.

I'll travel to get the hell away from a Denny's.

[drewtam]

What is middle class?

Y'all keep saying "I'm middle class" or "I have middle class upbringing"

So what is that?

Is it money?
Everyone from $35k/yr to $400k/yr claim to be "middle class". But the $35k/yr guy is not gonna look at the $400k/y guy a middle class, and vice-verse.
Is it net worth?
See above.
Is it a type of house?
Living in the city and owning a house was a medieval and ancient Roman measure of middle class. Not always a good indicator today. (the working poor rented apmts in ancient Rome, and ate fast food everyday because apmts didn't have kitchens.)
Is it white culture?
 
Is it 1-3 kids and stable family?
Is it a non-criminal, but also does not have political connections?
(huge swath of america)

All of these things?

[zxcvbob]

Emcee:  Now Karl has elected to answer questions on the workers' control of factories so here we go with question number one. Are you nervous? (Karl nods his head; the emcee reads from a card) The development of the industrial proletariat is conditioned by what other development?

Karl Marx: The development of the industrial bourgeoisie.

*applause*

Emcee: Yes, yes, it is indeed. You're on your way to the lounge suite, Karl. Question number two. The struggle of class against class is a what struggle? A what struggle?

Marx : A political struggle.

*Tumultuous applause*

Emcee: Yes, yes! One final question Karl and the beautiful lounge suite will be yours... Are you going to have a go? (Karl nods) You're a brave man. Karl Marx, your final question, who won the Cup Final in 1949?

Marx: The workers' control of the means of production? The struggle of the urban proletariat?

Emcee: No. It was in fact, Wolverhampton Wanderers who beat Leicester 3-1.

[Ben]

What is middle class?

Y'all keep saying "I'm middle class" or "I have middle class upbringing"

So what is that?

What are the guys on Duck Dynasty?

[BlueStarLizzard]

What is middle class?

Y'all keep saying "I'm middle class" or "I have middle class upbringing"

So what is that?

Is it money?
Everyone from $35k/yr to $400k/yr claim to be "middle class". But the $35k/yr guy is not gonna look at the $400k/y guy a middle class, and vice-verse.
Is it net worth?
See above.
Is it a type of house?
Living in the city and owning a house was a medieval and ancient Roman measure of middle class. Not always a good indicator today. (the working poor rented apmts in ancient Rome, and ate fast food everyday because apmts didn't have kitchens.)
Is it white culture?
 
Is it 1-3 kids and stable family?
Is it a non-criminal, but also does not have political connections?
(huge swath of america)

All of these things?

Most americans idetify as middle class, period.

It goes:
Poor
Working poor
Working
Middle
Upper middle
Rich

Most are actually working class, rather them middle, and most upper middle don't always add the "upper", but our cultural idenity as Americans generally results in people always identifing as middle, even when they're actually not.

[Stand_watie]

What are the guys on Duck Dynasty?

El Tejon's neighbors.